![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Life and Linketies
Feb. 20th, 2011 11:31 pmSomething that occured to me on the ride in to work today:
Since it seems likely that weather of some sort is a necessity on planets that develop thriving life, we may find in our first conversations with an alien species that "chatting about the weather" is a rather universal phenomenon, and a handy conversational starting point. This made me giggle. Also, lots of planets have a north.
Wisconsin's big on my mind, lots of links nearer to the end of the post, for those following the news on the union-busting attempts and counter-protests there. This, though, needs a LOT of publicity:
Tea Party plan to impersonate union protesters -- "Even if it becomes known that we are plants the quotes and pictures will linger as defacto truth." (again, anyone remember this sort of tactic from ACORN and Planned Parenthood? The actual truth doesn't matter much, the impressions that stick in people's minds do)
Related to general issues of lying to destroy people and movements: Shirley Sherrod sues Andrew Breitbart -- Hee!!
Compost Seminars and Bin Sales -- Clevelanders, and especially Household, heads up! I'd definitely like to take advantage of this and send someone from the household to attend the seminar and pick us up one of the nice real composting bins to replace our current rather slap-dash assembly.
Why We Should All Care
about Science Writing
Ohio Rally Against Senate Bill 5 on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at the Statehouse -- Unfortunately, I can't get there, but I do want to encourage anyone local or able to go.
LIVE POST: Protests/Government Violence in N. Africa/Mid-East.
Libyan Forces Fire On Mourners At Funeral Again
war reporting and rape -- an excellent piece by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rm
FLASHBACK: Abraham Lincoln Wrote Playbook For Wisconsin Dems Who Fled State
Saturday Protests in Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait, Yemen, Algeria [VIDEO]
Swimsuit Calendar - Doctor Who - BBC AMERICA -- I like April, personally.
#RoboCharity Auction: Francesco Francavilla’s RoboCop Sketch
We need eyes to see, but we need contrast to discern. A new technique for optical microscopy can now detect molecules even when their fluorescence is overwhelmed by background noise.
British gay Muslims seek Islamic weddings
Buffon's Beasts
The plates are from a 1753 work called 'Collection des Animaux Quadrupèdes'
Filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong document the inner workings of North Korea’s powerful propaganda machine as the first foreign film crew allowed inside Pyongyang’s secretive University of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts. (link to some additional material in the comments)
Mideast protests: real-time tweet mapping
California congresswoman: a vendetta against Planned Parenthood has nothing to do with creating jobs or reducing the deficit
And a comment that includes more links and history: What sickens me is that Rep Speier is not the first woman to be "self-outed" as the recipient of an abortion in an effort to bring the point home. It's gotten to the point where our female politicians are being forced to disclose their medical histories to back their beliefs!
Me, poor man, my library was dukedom large enough. -- Prospero's Books is a favorite of mine. The imagery of the books alone is enough to make me drool.
Why We Need Women in War Zones
The Whole Wisconsin Thing -- linking largely because I think the discussion in the comments clarifies a lot about how our system works.
Ecstasy does not wreck the mind, study claims -- not particularly surprising; my general take on ecstasy from a recreational point of view is simply that it's somewhat more risky than other hallucinogens (technically, it's actually an entactogen) because of its stimulant properties, which increase risk of stimulant-type overdose issues. For useful recreational info, Erowid is always a good place to start
Trans People Are Not Queer (An Introduction) -- I disagree with this particular view, although I think his arguments are worth reading and being familiar with. I'm starting to find myself on the 'old' side of the generation divide; when Shalom says “Queer” is typically traced back to 1990s groups that rejected the mainstream gay and lesbian movement in favor of a radical, confrontational approach. Some texts and, as I’ve said before, common use might easily lead one to believe that this struggle always used an inclusive “LGBT” approach. It is my strong impression, however, that the activists who pioneered and politicized “queer” two decades ago had one group in mind: homosexuals. , well, no, I disagree. I disagree because I was there. OK, not 20 years ago. 18 years ago. Half my life ago. However, I specifically recall these discussions, and at least in my little part of the queer world, we were using it intentionally for its inclusivity toward our bi and trans members. That's not to say we didn't screw up in all sorts of ways, but I do think this blog really rewrites history in using that particular argument (I got myself in a big ol' flamewar mess a while back talking about bi/trans coalition-building, and that also seemed to be partially related to generational differences). On the other hand, I think it's important that people not have labels forced on them that they don't choose, and I can certainly understand why some trans people, and some GLB people for that matter, don't embrace the term. I think it's worth knowing that, and keeping it in mind if one is doing public organizing work.
Flight of the Bumblebee -- played on 101 beer bottles.
Hiding Details of Dubious Deal, U.S. Invokes National Security
Texas to pass bill allowing handguns on college campuses
Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841 Close Up
Slow Motion Footage of Wild Japanese Plants
Ant anatomy, set to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance
In Hour-Long Attack On Planned Parenthood, Beck Inexcusably Ignores Key Fact
You know what's especially extra-amazingly offensive about this? Aside from all the lies in general? He starts out with what seems to be intended to be a mostly rhetorical question: BECK: If I told you there were people in Afghanistan under the noses of our troops that were assisting mullahs that were keeping underaged girls in a slave trade and our troops were not reporting it and they were watching it go on, they were in fact assisting or advising the pimps, would you say those troops need to come home and be court-martialed? Those troops should not be serving us?
Really? REALLY? That's the example you're going to use? Because for once, I'll happily say Beck's right. He's right. We should go after anyone who does anything like that. LIKE DYNCORP. LIKE THE CONTRACTORS WE PAY. Somehow he seems to have missed that bit of actual news in his hunt to destroy scary left-wing purveyors of contraceptives, though. Nevermind that PP reported the scum to the FBI, and these contractors did nothing of the sort, and instead actively aided and abetted child prostitution. *rage*
Should breastfeeding be a partisan issue? -- *headdesk* Although there are elements of Michelle Obama's war on obesity that I have real issues with (specifically the focus on obesity as a reliable indicator of health; I'm all good with "let's eat healthy and get active" sort of messages), this should be such a no-brainer. I wish I could say I can't believe that there are folks turning this one partisan, but I'm honestly not all that surprised. To clarify, I'm entirely in favor of anything that makes breastfeeding easier and more likely for those mothers who wish to do so, and I'm entirely in favor of education as to the benefits. I do not endorse guilting or pressuring women into this decision, and I don't get any sense that Obama does either.
China Quashes Calls for a 'Jasmine Revolution' on Sunday
Indian Video Activist Puts Transgender in Focus
Wisconsin Assemblyman Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) goes all Anthony Weiner on the GOP's asses in the Capitol on Friday. This guy is amazing and everybody should take five minutes to watch this.
potential new companion for the Doctor!
Egypt Leaders Found ‘Off’ Switch for Internet
Kat_chan on the current political attacks on unions and unionization -- Y'all will be totally and completely unsurprised to know that I'm vehemently pro-union, right? (really regretting these days that I don't have my Unions! icon loaded in LJ right now)
Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham wants to repeal child labor regulations
Wisconsin Gets is Protest On
Wisconsin's Attack on Public Employees Could Lead to a Nationwide Campaign
Match of The Century: Tea Bagger VS Pissed Off Green Bay Packers -- Packers supporting the protesters! I think after years of sport-related apathy I suddenly have a "favorite team".
Maryland on the brink of gay marriage
Calif Chinese program prompts school board recall
At least 44 journalists killed in 2010
With the world's attention on the Arab world, the political instability gripping much of the western Balkans has largely been ignored. Yet so serious is the unrest here—including mass demonstrations in Belgrade, Tirana and Skopje—that one diplomat told me his country’s foreign ministry had asked him if he thought that Egypt-style revolution might sweep northwards into the Balkans. (His answer was an emphatic “no”.) Here is a round-up of recent developments:
Which Countries Are Best for Women in the Workforce? -- The comments from the Swedes in the comment section are especially interesting.
George W. Bush cancels trip because sanctioning torture actually has consequences
Alaska authorities have charged a woman with child abuse for brutalizing a Russian boy she adopted, but federal authorities should be looking hard at charging television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw for his role in the crimes.
130,000 Holocaust photos now available online
Ariz. may require hospitals to check citizenship
Republicans Ready to Kill Red Menace: Is Elmo a Member of the Communist Party? -- Damn, damn, damn. Chad once made me a mix tape with a song on it from a little indie band about "Grover's a puppet of the left-wing state", and I can't find lyrics to it anywhere. It'd be so damned appropriate right now.
Oh, wow! I think I finally found it!
Grover's a puppet,
a leftist muppet,
radical, subversive, freak.
Grover's a puppet,
of the welfare state.
Grover's a puppet,
with a high pitched voice.
Grover's a puppet,
with blue nappy hair.
Grover's a puppet,
with his own agenda.
Grover's a puppet,
with his eye on you.
The jihadist narrative of al Qaeda has suffered a serious blow. If there is a springtime of freedom in the Arab and Islamic worlds, one loser is Osama bin Laden and his gang.
British government ready to implement full marriage equality in United Kingdom
IRAN PROTESTS (2/14/2011)
Thailand and Cambodia's are to make their case before the United Nations in New York over deadly border fighting that erupted a week ago. Cambodia wants U.N. peacekeepers sent to prevent further clashes. But Thailand rejects any U.N. involvement.
Visualizing the Budget
A Tunisian-Egyptian Link That Shook Arab History
Valentine's Day came early for Jurate Kazickas at a celebration in early February in the Democratic Republic of Congo marking the opening of the City of Joy, a recovery sanctuary for rape survivors. Eve Ensler was radiant at the center of it all.
Naples Museum Requests Asylum in Germany
Photo Essay Iranian Transexuals
UnCollege: Home-Schooling For College Students
Books, Social Networking and Kashmir
Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban -- My workplace implemented this, although I'm grandfathered in. It's done nothing but damage my attempts to quit, because it feels like "they win in controlling my life", instead of "I beat it".
Being Pope invalidates your organ donor card
UK government to announce law to remove gay sex crimes from criminal records
Woolly Octopus Attacks Tokyo! Godzilla is called in to investigate. -- Yay, guerilla knitters!
400 wolves terrorize Stalin's Death Ring
Pakistan Issues Arrest Warrant for Musharraf in Bhutto’s Killing
Torture in Bahraini prisons, with children as its victims
GOProud Member Doesn't Like Gays
Police Brutality at the University of Puerto Rico
What "original intent" would look like; The Tea Party's "America"
The Children Must Play
What the United States could learn from Finland about education reform.
Since it seems likely that weather of some sort is a necessity on planets that develop thriving life, we may find in our first conversations with an alien species that "chatting about the weather" is a rather universal phenomenon, and a handy conversational starting point. This made me giggle. Also, lots of planets have a north.
Wisconsin's big on my mind, lots of links nearer to the end of the post, for those following the news on the union-busting attempts and counter-protests there. This, though, needs a LOT of publicity:
Tea Party plan to impersonate union protesters -- "Even if it becomes known that we are plants the quotes and pictures will linger as defacto truth." (again, anyone remember this sort of tactic from ACORN and Planned Parenthood? The actual truth doesn't matter much, the impressions that stick in people's minds do)
Related to general issues of lying to destroy people and movements: Shirley Sherrod sues Andrew Breitbart -- Hee!!
Compost Seminars and Bin Sales -- Clevelanders, and especially Household, heads up! I'd definitely like to take advantage of this and send someone from the household to attend the seminar and pick us up one of the nice real composting bins to replace our current rather slap-dash assembly.
Why We Should All Care
about Science Writing
Ohio Rally Against Senate Bill 5 on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at the Statehouse -- Unfortunately, I can't get there, but I do want to encourage anyone local or able to go.
LIVE POST: Protests/Government Violence in N. Africa/Mid-East.
Libyan Forces Fire On Mourners At Funeral Again
war reporting and rape -- an excellent piece by
rmFLASHBACK: Abraham Lincoln Wrote Playbook For Wisconsin Dems Who Fled State
Saturday Protests in Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait, Yemen, Algeria [VIDEO]
Swimsuit Calendar - Doctor Who - BBC AMERICA -- I like April, personally.
#RoboCharity Auction: Francesco Francavilla’s RoboCop Sketch
We need eyes to see, but we need contrast to discern. A new technique for optical microscopy can now detect molecules even when their fluorescence is overwhelmed by background noise.
British gay Muslims seek Islamic weddings
Buffon's Beasts
The plates are from a 1753 work called 'Collection des Animaux Quadrupèdes'
Filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong document the inner workings of North Korea’s powerful propaganda machine as the first foreign film crew allowed inside Pyongyang’s secretive University of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts. (link to some additional material in the comments)
Mideast protests: real-time tweet mapping
California congresswoman: a vendetta against Planned Parenthood has nothing to do with creating jobs or reducing the deficit
And a comment that includes more links and history: What sickens me is that Rep Speier is not the first woman to be "self-outed" as the recipient of an abortion in an effort to bring the point home. It's gotten to the point where our female politicians are being forced to disclose their medical histories to back their beliefs!
Me, poor man, my library was dukedom large enough. -- Prospero's Books is a favorite of mine. The imagery of the books alone is enough to make me drool.
Why We Need Women in War Zones
The Whole Wisconsin Thing -- linking largely because I think the discussion in the comments clarifies a lot about how our system works.
Ecstasy does not wreck the mind, study claims -- not particularly surprising; my general take on ecstasy from a recreational point of view is simply that it's somewhat more risky than other hallucinogens (technically, it's actually an entactogen) because of its stimulant properties, which increase risk of stimulant-type overdose issues. For useful recreational info, Erowid is always a good place to start
Trans People Are Not Queer (An Introduction) -- I disagree with this particular view, although I think his arguments are worth reading and being familiar with. I'm starting to find myself on the 'old' side of the generation divide; when Shalom says “Queer” is typically traced back to 1990s groups that rejected the mainstream gay and lesbian movement in favor of a radical, confrontational approach. Some texts and, as I’ve said before, common use might easily lead one to believe that this struggle always used an inclusive “LGBT” approach. It is my strong impression, however, that the activists who pioneered and politicized “queer” two decades ago had one group in mind: homosexuals. , well, no, I disagree. I disagree because I was there. OK, not 20 years ago. 18 years ago. Half my life ago. However, I specifically recall these discussions, and at least in my little part of the queer world, we were using it intentionally for its inclusivity toward our bi and trans members. That's not to say we didn't screw up in all sorts of ways, but I do think this blog really rewrites history in using that particular argument (I got myself in a big ol' flamewar mess a while back talking about bi/trans coalition-building, and that also seemed to be partially related to generational differences). On the other hand, I think it's important that people not have labels forced on them that they don't choose, and I can certainly understand why some trans people, and some GLB people for that matter, don't embrace the term. I think it's worth knowing that, and keeping it in mind if one is doing public organizing work.
Flight of the Bumblebee -- played on 101 beer bottles.
Hiding Details of Dubious Deal, U.S. Invokes National Security
Texas to pass bill allowing handguns on college campuses
Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841 Close Up
Slow Motion Footage of Wild Japanese Plants
Ant anatomy, set to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance
In Hour-Long Attack On Planned Parenthood, Beck Inexcusably Ignores Key Fact
You know what's especially extra-amazingly offensive about this? Aside from all the lies in general? He starts out with what seems to be intended to be a mostly rhetorical question: BECK: If I told you there were people in Afghanistan under the noses of our troops that were assisting mullahs that were keeping underaged girls in a slave trade and our troops were not reporting it and they were watching it go on, they were in fact assisting or advising the pimps, would you say those troops need to come home and be court-martialed? Those troops should not be serving us?
Really? REALLY? That's the example you're going to use? Because for once, I'll happily say Beck's right. He's right. We should go after anyone who does anything like that. LIKE DYNCORP. LIKE THE CONTRACTORS WE PAY. Somehow he seems to have missed that bit of actual news in his hunt to destroy scary left-wing purveyors of contraceptives, though. Nevermind that PP reported the scum to the FBI, and these contractors did nothing of the sort, and instead actively aided and abetted child prostitution. *rage*
Should breastfeeding be a partisan issue? -- *headdesk* Although there are elements of Michelle Obama's war on obesity that I have real issues with (specifically the focus on obesity as a reliable indicator of health; I'm all good with "let's eat healthy and get active" sort of messages), this should be such a no-brainer. I wish I could say I can't believe that there are folks turning this one partisan, but I'm honestly not all that surprised. To clarify, I'm entirely in favor of anything that makes breastfeeding easier and more likely for those mothers who wish to do so, and I'm entirely in favor of education as to the benefits. I do not endorse guilting or pressuring women into this decision, and I don't get any sense that Obama does either.
China Quashes Calls for a 'Jasmine Revolution' on Sunday
Indian Video Activist Puts Transgender in Focus
Wisconsin Assemblyman Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) goes all Anthony Weiner on the GOP's asses in the Capitol on Friday. This guy is amazing and everybody should take five minutes to watch this.
potential new companion for the Doctor!
Egypt Leaders Found ‘Off’ Switch for Internet
Kat_chan on the current political attacks on unions and unionization -- Y'all will be totally and completely unsurprised to know that I'm vehemently pro-union, right? (really regretting these days that I don't have my Unions! icon loaded in LJ right now)
Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham wants to repeal child labor regulations
Wisconsin Gets is Protest On
Wisconsin's Attack on Public Employees Could Lead to a Nationwide Campaign
Match of The Century: Tea Bagger VS Pissed Off Green Bay Packers -- Packers supporting the protesters! I think after years of sport-related apathy I suddenly have a "favorite team".
Maryland on the brink of gay marriage
Calif Chinese program prompts school board recall
At least 44 journalists killed in 2010
With the world's attention on the Arab world, the political instability gripping much of the western Balkans has largely been ignored. Yet so serious is the unrest here—including mass demonstrations in Belgrade, Tirana and Skopje—that one diplomat told me his country’s foreign ministry had asked him if he thought that Egypt-style revolution might sweep northwards into the Balkans. (His answer was an emphatic “no”.) Here is a round-up of recent developments:
Which Countries Are Best for Women in the Workforce? -- The comments from the Swedes in the comment section are especially interesting.
George W. Bush cancels trip because sanctioning torture actually has consequences
Alaska authorities have charged a woman with child abuse for brutalizing a Russian boy she adopted, but federal authorities should be looking hard at charging television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw for his role in the crimes.
130,000 Holocaust photos now available online
Ariz. may require hospitals to check citizenship
Republicans Ready to Kill Red Menace: Is Elmo a Member of the Communist Party? -- Damn, damn, damn. Chad once made me a mix tape with a song on it from a little indie band about "Grover's a puppet of the left-wing state", and I can't find lyrics to it anywhere. It'd be so damned appropriate right now.
Oh, wow! I think I finally found it!
Grover's a puppet,
a leftist muppet,
radical, subversive, freak.
Grover's a puppet,
of the welfare state.
Grover's a puppet,
with a high pitched voice.
Grover's a puppet,
with blue nappy hair.
Grover's a puppet,
with his own agenda.
Grover's a puppet,
with his eye on you.
The jihadist narrative of al Qaeda has suffered a serious blow. If there is a springtime of freedom in the Arab and Islamic worlds, one loser is Osama bin Laden and his gang.
British government ready to implement full marriage equality in United Kingdom
IRAN PROTESTS (2/14/2011)
Thailand and Cambodia's are to make their case before the United Nations in New York over deadly border fighting that erupted a week ago. Cambodia wants U.N. peacekeepers sent to prevent further clashes. But Thailand rejects any U.N. involvement.
Visualizing the Budget
A Tunisian-Egyptian Link That Shook Arab History
Valentine's Day came early for Jurate Kazickas at a celebration in early February in the Democratic Republic of Congo marking the opening of the City of Joy, a recovery sanctuary for rape survivors. Eve Ensler was radiant at the center of it all.
Naples Museum Requests Asylum in Germany
Photo Essay Iranian Transexuals
UnCollege: Home-Schooling For College Students
Books, Social Networking and Kashmir
Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban -- My workplace implemented this, although I'm grandfathered in. It's done nothing but damage my attempts to quit, because it feels like "they win in controlling my life", instead of "I beat it".
Being Pope invalidates your organ donor card
UK government to announce law to remove gay sex crimes from criminal records
Woolly Octopus Attacks Tokyo! Godzilla is called in to investigate. -- Yay, guerilla knitters!
400 wolves terrorize Stalin's Death Ring
Pakistan Issues Arrest Warrant for Musharraf in Bhutto’s Killing
Torture in Bahraini prisons, with children as its victims
GOProud Member Doesn't Like Gays
Police Brutality at the University of Puerto Rico
What "original intent" would look like; The Tea Party's "America"
The Children Must Play
What the United States could learn from Finland about education reform.
